SAN ANTONIO — On the court of our dreams, they would still be out there playing. Shot for shot, pass for pass, the astonishing marvel of a relentless attack against a miracle comeback born of experience and stubbornness.

There were spin drives that swirled faster than the winds inside a funnel cloud and a clinching 3-pointer that came down wearing a touch of blue from scraping against the sky.

Bop till you drop. Last team standing advances to next round. If that were the case, they might keep on fighting this battle into July. Or even August.

Steph.

Manu.

Warriors.

Spurs.

This was billed as a Western Conference semifinal series that would bear watching, and for three hours and 12 minutes of Game 1 we were like cavemen mesmerized by their first glimpse of fire.

If Dr. Naismith’s game has been played better, it certainly wasn’t on this planet. The extraterrestrial Stephen Curry rang up another out of this world third quarter, hitting 9 of his 12 shots for 22 of his 44 points. The remarkably down-to-earth Danny Green matched Curry’s half-dozen from long range. And a zaftig Frenchman who hadn’t played in exactly one month — Boris Diaw — provided a certain je ne sais quoi.

“When I talk to him and Manu, he goes ‘This is what I do.’ That’s what he’s going to tell me. I stopped coaching him a long time ago.”

It was beautiful and bombastic, frantic and fragile, wild, woolly and wondrous … and certainly the best game of the season and maybe as good a playoff game as has been played in any season. It was Nureyev and Baryshnikov on the same stage, Picasso and Pollock on the same wall, Miles Davis and Leonard Bernstein making music together.

The second-seeded and ageless Spurs simply look at every game and every situation as something that can be handled, even if it’s like picking up a hot coal in their bare hands.

On one hand, the Spurs will have to devise a plan to stifle or at least slow down Curry, who has joined the Rolling Stones as the hottest act touring America this spring. They will also have to fret that if Klay Thompson hadn’t fouled out and Richard Jefferson hadn’t missed two free throws with 1:57 left, they might never have survived regulation time.

On the other, the Warriors probably have to figure that the Spurs won’t continue shooting 43.8 percent in the series and that Tim Duncan will be more of a force at both ends of the floor when he shakes off the effects of the flu that eventually forced him to the sidelines.

94 Comments

That game was awesome! Best I’d ever seen!!! The inside of the arena felt like the Finals already – there was a huge energy that will continue to build. If the Spurs take care of business with the Warriors in expected style I think we may need room for another trophy…

all the talks out here will be answered tomorrow
if the spurs takes 2-0 then it might be last 6 or 5 games…if the series will be tied then it will be 6 or 7
curry will be guarded by leonard in the second half and duncan will play the whole game without sickness
go spurs go

People need to stop arguing about which team is better and just appreciate what a great game it was!!
im a Warriors fan but you cant argue that it takes a special team to come back from 16 down with 4 to go. Then Warriors down by 1 with 5 seconds to go and BAZEMORE puts them in front before manu eventually won the spurs the game!
One of the best games you are ever gonna see, so stop arguing and appreciate the game people!!

What most people are failing to realize is that GSW are young in a playoff sense. That being said they pretty much dominated gm 1 . If not for key players fouling out, coach pop would not of had the ability to put KL on Curry. TP can’t stop any one of the GSW guards. Any fan of basketball should acknowledge that it’s not a given the Spurs will win this series. I saw the heart of a champion in the spurs in game 1. I also saw a team ready to rip that heart out so to speak. The spurs need to come out in gm 2 and give GSW some of what they gave them in the first gm. Easier said than done. Cant wait to see what the young guns are made of. GSW in 7!!!!!!!!

Spurs fans feeling giddy that think they know the game serve notice, the warriors are younger and so much more athletic and while everyone talks about the Dubs being down mentally they got younger legs to come back after dbl overtime tmw nite..mark my words Spurs fans will know who Harrison Barnes Steph Curry and company will be in 7-9 days or so. Dont let Gs steal game 2 because there is no better home court than Oakland in the League and thats a fact. Keep being overconfident I love it!

all in all good game spurs, but their shots were just cold to begin with. Those shots led to a 10 point deficit, then 16. The Spurs JUST got warmed up guys and if i was a warriors fan, i’d be a little scared the spurs are back on offense…… now we need to worry about defense. GO SPURS GO. P.S., Curry was shut down by the spurs offensively in overtime, foreshadowing Game 2 perhaps????

Wow! What an eloquent synopsis of a game that would be difficult to describe in words. You did it justice. This is what nba fans like myself live to watch. I will save this blog to remind me of the thrill of victory, against the odds, by one of the nba’s most successful but hugely under promoted teams. Maybe they should change their colors? Black and grey…against those flashy California colors. Maybe they could add some red and we would see them on national TV! They certainly deserve it.

I agree with jason. This article is very well written and includes all of the emotion that the game did. Just like Fred G I’m rooting for the Warriors. Stephen Curry is an animal with 44 points last night who doesn’t love his game. I’m looking at him as next years MVP. No one can handle his swag. To be honest, the Spurs have too much experience and too many clutch players not to win this series.

The Warriors start great but sometimes finish awfully. Even Game 6 against Denver was almost taken from them, what with all that nervousness causing numerous turnovers in the fourth. Sadly, it was quite similar in this game. I hate it when an old, unexciting team like the Spurs makes a comeback like that. This could have well been a GS win, but they let it slip. Chances like this are very rare; who knows what SA have in store for Game 2? A loss such as this one is more disappointing than a blowout. Hopefully, Curry and company win the next one and be in a better position to take Games 3 and 4 at home.

This is far from over. One silver lining to this stinging loss was that it happened in Game 1. The Warriors have time to bounce back from it. If it happened later in the series then the Warriors would be in deep trouble. Yes, the collapse in the 4th was bad, but to take the Spurs to double OT on their home court is no easy task. It took a last second 3 pointer for the Spurs to pull off the win. Not as a disrespect to the Spurs, but as good as the Spurs are (and have always been), it’s a great sign for the young Warriors that they are capable of taking this series.

Btw, hats off to the Spurs for that incredible comeback. We all knew they are capable of something like that. But most people thought that Warriors were going to get blown out of this series. They have just proven that even if they lose this, it will be a very tough out.

Thank you for the comment on the Spurs, Dubsfan. If you ask any true fan of the Spurs or anyone in the Spurs organization, we NEVER think any opponent is gonna be a blow out. Every team has their talent or else they get traded or moved to other cities. The Warriors are worthy opponents to any team in the NBA today and will continue to grow to be a championship team of tomorrow. I think the NBA needs to realize that the NBA is not run and followed by people wanting to just see the Kobeys, Lebrons, and other franchise names that seem to be the center of the NBA universe. My opinion is to look at all the talent in the NBA today and really marvel at how players like Curry are moving by leaps and bounds to compete against veteran players like the Spurs. I was there at this game and many a Spurs fan were cussing out Curry but in the back of our minds, we knew talent when we saw it. I’m gonna love seeing this series up close. Go SPUR Go!

I see that there are some Spurs fans who think this series is over,lol Not by a long shot…it took everything the Spurs had to win that game and the Warriors know now that not only they can play with the Spurs, they can beat them. Game 2 should be great to watch…Go Dub Nation!

I’m a GSW fan – have been for 20 years – and want my team to succeed just like all the other fans, but come on people – stay humble. This team (GSW) is doing phenomenally well especially when you consider it’s the first time the majority of the players have been to the playoffs. BUT they are playing against Super Stars who know how to close out a game.

I’m very proud of the Warriors and think that they have a great shot of winning the next game. I’m looking forward to the years to come under Mark Jackson. I think that we’re finally building a team, an organization, that will continue to grow and improve. One day we’ll have the experience that the Spurs have now – until then, we need to stay humble and enjoy the moment. Just sayin….

Fantastic game.
At least a third of the arena was empty as even the fans saw a comeback as impossible with 4 minutes remaining.
I wonder how they felt afterwards!
Resting for a week definitely did not help the Spurs, and they shot horribly last night.
I really think that with Duncan back in shape and the team back on pace, the series will not go 7 games.

Nice article.
I wonder however, how that Bull-Nets Game 4 would compare to this Game 1 in terms of specularity. I couldn’t watch last nights game, too late for me as a European. But that Chicago Game was purely awesome.

Kahwi on Curry might be the answer, but the Spurs won’t be able to do it all game. Not unless Pop plans to sit Parker out the entire game as well. The ball will just go to either Klay or Barnes and keep abusing Parker, if Leonard sticks with Curry.

You failed to mention that Golden State was also tired. So, to correct you according to this article http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1501412-the-nbas-5-youngest-and-oldest-teams the Spurs are Not Old and Golden State is Not so Young. Spurs never play well after taking a whole week off. Curry and the rest of the team went off on a shooting frenzy and still they lost to a “tired, old Spurs team”. I would worry if I were you.

Average age of the Spurs is 28. Duncan is the oldest guy on the roster and he had a spectacular year. Still a 20/10 guy every night. Old and tired? I’ve been hearing that for years. Mostly from fans of the teams the Spurs beat in the playoffs.

Mark Jackson’s mistake. Golden State was careless down the stretch. The game was a give away! All those who think SA was going to sweep or its going to be a quick series better think again. Its going either way…Golden State is the best shooting team in the NBA

Alot of things can be learned from this game. Old lions can fight just as hard as young lions. Don’t leave your seats for what probably could be the biggest comeback ever. Never underestimate the impossible. Go SPURS Go!!

Great game and great come back but if the Spurs want to win the Series, they better not let that happen again cause they might not be able to turn things around each time.Warriors are very dangerous offensively and Spurs need to find a way to shut them down on the outside, especially Curry.This will be a trhilling Series to follow. Can’t wait for Game 2.

as an argentinian, i cant be more proud of this fantastic player and better human being. a model to follow, specially in my country where people like this is rare to see, a great competitor. go manu go!!!

the warriors really stuffed up at the end. Should have made the Spurs earn those points at the line. And leaving dangerous shooters open was a silly ploy by Jackson who also took out his stars with more than four minutes to play. Bogut should have played way more minutes. Landry and Green committed some costly errors as well.

As a spurs fan living in the Goldenstate I got love for GS. Love what Mark Jackson is doing with this young team, but I think the Spurs got it. Old yes, but Duncan was sick, when he’s not he’s ageless. You cant ever call the Spurs old and count them out, this isn’t the Lakers

The SPURS are old and experienced. Golden State is a very good solid team, will be a tough series for the SPURS BUT the SPURS won GAME ONE so move on. The SPURS experience despite their age got it done last night. Good luck to both teams. Try not to be a sore loser and show a little respect to the players, they are NBA players and you’re not. GO SPURS GO!!!

People talk about how great a coach Pop is. He is the brains and the visionary of the Spurs. They speak of how boringly efficient Tim Duncan is. That he is the anchor the Spurs stand on. They talk about how underrated Tony Parker is. He is the engine that drives the team. Then you have Manu, the wild card. Sometimes he’d set erratic plays, other times he’d drive recklessly or take a charge and get injured. But what you can always count on Manu Ginobili is his heart and his will to win. I’ve loved basketball for over 22 years and I’ve only seen three people with this kind of fierce determination, this warrior/winner spirit – MJ, Kobe and Manu. Manu has been a winner in the Euroleague, he was the leader of the ARG team that beat USA and won the Olympics and to the Spurs, he is the ultimate game changer. I know when its on the line, Manu is brave enough to either take the shot or set the play. And he has the courage to take criticism and come back better. #continuousimprovement #gettingbetter #qualityplayer #superstar

The Spurs have no pride. They don’t play basketball, they just flop all over the court. Parker, Diaw, Ginobli, Neal, and Duncan were as dirty as can be.

And, where were the refs the last 4 minutes. When the Warriors were on offense, they had swallowed their whistles. There were some blatant non-calls, including a couple where the Warrior got shoved to the floor.

Seriously you realize that the Spurs are considered one of the non dirtiest teams in the NBA. (not sarcastic). Just like all playoff games there was no calls on both ends. GS settled for jump shots and hero ball down the stretch which generally does not get you many calls.

There was no dirty play and the refs had little impact on this game and its clear realbball doesn’t know the game of basketball. But it’s nice to see you think all of GS fans know nothing given one idiots rant.

That’s funny, did you suddenly forget all the missed calls when Parker was getting fouled in the lane the first three and a half quarters? Haha the Warriors aren’t a good defensive team, they only know how to foul while Mark Jackson distracts the officials. If you want real defense, watch San Antonio’s rotations or Miami’s frenetic attitude or Chicago’s relentless work or Boston’s will. And don’t complain about officiating when the Warriors got the benefit the majority of the game.

No pride? 4 titles, the best power forward to ever play the game, an international roster, 16 consecutive trips to the playoffs?
Go get yourself a nice mocha latte and watch Dr. Phil……it’ll make you feel better.

As a female bball fan of long standing, I resent your stereotype, jagoff. I nearly broke my flatscreen when my recording stopped just b4 the final shot! I really wish TNT wouldn’t try to show two games in a row when they start so close to each other!

I realize my mistake and acknowledge that the Spurs are the perenial team in the nba. The Spurs are the team to beat, sadly my town has no team. We cant afford it, its a small podunk town. But, any who- Go Spurs Go!!!

wow, you think this was a dirty game by the Spurs? you’ve obviously never watched the playoffs nor know the Spurs well enough to move your lips with such ignorance.
The Spurs are the one of the most fundenemtal based basketball team to date. The Spurs always play basketball, not physical games.
Also, this is the playoffs, so it gets pretty darn rough, but there weren’t any fouls nor plays that crossed the line of dirty and a legitiamte foul.
I’m guessing youve never spent time with contact sport.
If you really care for the GSW, then please stop making yourself an example of the majority of GSW fans.

If I had to guess, I’d say he was the Spurs’ starting shooting guard, who had twenty-two points, three steals, and two blocks. He also might have hit the three-pointer that sent the game to overtime. But that’s only if I had to guess.

Oh c’mon, Lynx….Spurs erase a 16 point deficit with less than 5 minutes left in the game? Curry goes off for 44? Double OT with a last second 3 pointer to win it? You might be the only person on the planet that thinks Bulls/Nets game 7 was better.
Did you even see Spurs/Warriors game? Best game I’ve seen this year. One of the best ever.